The American Civil War Battles: Gettysburg -- Second Day (July 2, 1863)

Figure 1.--This painting depicts the tenacious stand of the 20th Maine commanded by Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain on Little Round Top--the extreme left of the Federal Fish Hook defense (July 2, 1863). The Regiment which had just been rushed into position was assaulted by the Confederate 15th and 47th Alabama regiments in Hood's Division, part of Longstreet's I Corps. A serious of furious charges were launched uphill by the Alabanans for an hour and a half. Col. Chamberlain with his Regiment almost out of ammunition observed the Alabamans forming for another assault up the steep slope. As the Alabamans attacked, he ordered an unexpected downhill charge with fixed bayonets. Surprised the already depleted and exhausted Alabamans broke and run. The action ended the Confederate attack on Little Round Top and the effort to flank the Federal forces and move around the Federal Fish Hook position. The 20th Maine and the adjacent 83rd Pennsylvania captured many Confederates from both Alabama regiments (including Lt. Col. Michael Bulger, commander of the 47th Alabama).

Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia arrived in force at Gettyburgh before Meade and the Army of the Potomac. Meade in fact had just been given command. Lee's best chance of victory was thus on the first day before the Federals had concentrated their forces and began to enhtrench in the Fish Hook defense. There was still a good chance of victory on the second day, and the opportunity to inflict great damage on the Army of the Potomac which was still arriving piecemeal on the battlefield. Both Lee and Meade knew that Gettysburg was shapeing up to be one of the major battles of the War, if not the most important because of the size of the assembling forces. And officers up and down the line were coming to the same conclusion. Hancock's II Corps would be the major force defending Cemetery Ridge--the Union center. Hancock because of his actions on the first day and constructing a formidable line on Cenetary Ridge on the second day is surely the key Federal corps commander at Gettysburg. While fighting raged to the north (Federal right) and south (Federal left), he offered what support he could and began turning Cemetary Ridge into an inpregnable defensive line. The popular Brig. Gen. William Harrow who had lost his left leg at Ball's Bluff (1861) was given command of the 1st Brigade (2nd Division, II Corps) which would play a key role in the defense of the Federal center. Before the day's battle, he appeared before each regiment. His message was simple, he told the 15th Massachusetts (one of the most formidable regiments in the Army of the Potomac), that the battle had to be won, the fate of the Army depended on it. "Now the first God Damn man I see running or sneaking, I blow him to hell in an instant, this Damn running is played out, just stand to it and give them Hell." [Priest] Having failed to dislodge the Federal right flank on day one Lee decided to strike at the Federal left flank on day two. The Federal Left was defended by the Federal III and V Corps, with some of the regiments just arriving after a long hurried march. Units of II Corps bordering oin III Corps als participated in the fight. The job of turning the Federal Left fell on Longstreet's I Corps. The result was some of the most furious fighting of the entire War including some of the most iconic engagements in American military history. To the frustration of Lee, Longstreet did not move until the afternoon. This was because elements of Longstreet's corps were still arriving on the battlefield. The resulting engagements are legendary, the Wheat Field, the Peach Orchard, and Devil's Den. Sickles defined orders and moved his III Corp forward, exposing it to Longstreet's attack. In doing so, he endangered the Federal left. William Barksdale's Brigade was placed directly at the tip of the salient in the Union line created by Sickles. III Corps position was anchored at the Peach Orchard. Barksdale, an ardent secesionist, led his men into one of the fiercest battles of the War. He like Harrow was aware of the stakes. Barksdale was killed. Sickle's Corps sufferd substantial casulties and he lost a leg. The III Corps was battered, but fell back, into position and was not destroyed, thus maintaining the integrity iof the Federal Fish Hook. It was finally on Little Round Top that the issue was settled, both the battle and the fate of the United States. Meade had not fully preceived the importance of the position and only lightly defended it. Meade's focus was on his right and center. He did not think that the fighting would extend as far down the Federal Line as Little Round Top. Longstreet who was closer to the scene, did see the importance and sent the Alabama Brigade of Hood's Division to take it. Little Round Top would prove to be where the assault on the Federal Left was settled. The 20th Maine commanded by an ardent unionist and abolistionist, Colonel Josuah Chamberlin was rushed up to Little Round Top just as Hood's Division in I Corps was preparing to attck. The 20th Maine thus occupied the extreme left of the Federal line. To his right was the 83rd Pennsylvania. To his left -- there was nothing. The Federal Fish Hook defensive line ended with the 20th Maine. And if the Confederates took Little Round Top, they could attack into the Federal rear. Picketts Divivision on day three could have attacked there from high ground instead of across open ground at the well-entrenched Federal center. The under-strength 20th Maine repulsed charge after charge by the Alabamans who attempted to flank him. Chamberlain was forced to extend his line thus weakening his strength to the breaking point. Finally with their ammunition exhaused, Chamberlain ordered a rare bayonet charge which finally broke the exhausted Alabama Brigade which had also suffered terrible casualties. Chamberlain's desperate stroke saved the Federal left and probably the Union itself. Hood's Division in Longstreet's Corps was so mauled in the fighting, Hood himself was grevuiously wounded, that they could not continue offensive operations on the third and final day day of the battle.

Sources

Priest, John Michael. "Stand to It and Give Them Hell: Gettysburg as the Soldiers Experienced it from Cemetery Ridge to Little Round Top, July 2, 1863 " (Savas Publishing: 2014), 432p. Priest has been described as the Ernie Pyle of the Civil War soldier. The value of his work is the effort to draw a realistic picture of what Civil War soldiers actually experienced without the histrionics often appearing in historical accounts.

Created: 2:57 AM 8/30/2018
Last updated: 2:57 AM 8/30/2018